00:00Once a popular destination for Canberrans hoping to escape the heat, now seemingly left
00:08abandoned since early last year once busy pools are empty and slides unused.
00:14It's just an absolute disaster, it's disgusting.
00:17It's a bit sad to see because I know certainly when I was a kid I loved the place and enjoyed
00:21it so it's a bit disappointing the newer generation I guess don't get to experience that.
00:25The owners have now told the ACT Government they're planning to reopen in mid-November.
00:29We're taking the owners at their word.
00:32Mid-November is what they've advised us and there are further regulatory actions and powers
00:37that Access Canberra can undertake if that mid-November date is not reached.
00:43The lease requires the owners to maintain, repair and keep the site in a condition to the satisfaction
00:48of the Territory Planning Authority.
00:50Access Canberra already stepped in earlier this year after concerns around access and site
00:56safety were raised with the water park becoming a target for vandals.
01:00Publication of those people who had been trespassing I think encouraged more trespassing and potentially
01:07made the situation worse.
01:09The water park is due to reopen in a matter of weeks but there's still plenty of work to
01:14do.
01:15There's graffiti across much of the site and windows are boarded up.
01:18Even if it does open for the summer its iconic water slides are likely to be out of action.
01:23Just because of the state of the disrepair that we've seen them in and that probably
01:29reflects some structural issues and that then relates to safety.
01:34And without the slides some think big splash won't be the same.
01:38That's rubbish.
01:39No slides for kids.
01:40I don't know.
01:41Look, I mean it could be a good spot for training and stuff for swimmers and whatnot.
01:45That would be horrifying.
01:46Definitely.
01:47And I don't know if I'd go as frequently.
01:50Yeah.
01:51But it would still be pretty fun.
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